Actinidia chinensis Plant Named &#39;X264&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Actinidia chinensis  cultivar named ‘X264’ is disclosed, characterized by having distinctive yellow flesh fruit, and a very early seasonal harvest time. Additionally, the new variety produces oblong fruit with weak skin adherence to flesh and with a distinctive blunt, slightly protruding stylar end shape and square shoulders. The new variety is suitable for commercial production of kiwi fruit.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Actinidia chinensis

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘X264’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program under the direction of the inventor, Donald Alfred Skelton, a citizen of New Zealand. The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietary variety referred to as Actinidia chinensis ‘A50’. The pollen parent is the unpatented, proprietary seedling variety referred to as Actinidia chinensis ‘A28’.

Fruit of the new variety was first evaluated in 2001 with favorable results. After the first evaluation, semi-hardwood cuttings were made of ‘X264’ and were grafted onto seedling rootstocks of A. deliciosa. Evaluation, asexual propagation and grafting all first took place at a research nursery in North Waikato, New Zealand. Subsequent evaluations of the variety have shown the characteristics to be true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘X264’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘X264’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘X264’ as a new and distinct Actinidia chinensis cultivar:

-   1. Oblong shaped fruit form -   2. Heavy fruit weight, similar to the known variety ‘Hayward’. -   3. Weakly blunt protruding stylar fruit end. -   4. Yellow fruit coloration -   5. Very early season fruit harvest -   6. Weak adherence of fruit skin to flesh -   7. Weak adherence of hair to fruit skin

Commercial Comparison

The new variety is best compared to the commercial variety, ‘Hort16A,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,066. ‘X264’ is similar to ‘Hort16A’ in many horticultural characteristics, however, ‘X264’ produces mature fruit approximately 2 to 4 weeks earlier in the season than ‘Hort16A’. Additionally, fruit of the new variety ‘X264’ has a weakly protruding stylar end, compared to the strongly protruding stylar end of ‘Hort16A’.

The new variety can be compared to the commercial variety, ‘Hayward’, unpatented. ‘X264’ is similar to ‘Hayward’ in many horticultural characteristics, however, ‘X264’ produces mature fruit several weeks earlier in the season than ‘Hayward’. Additionally, ‘X264’ has an interior fruit coloration with a stronger yellow tone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color examples of typical flowers of ‘X264’. FIG. 2 illustrates fruit harvested from ‘X264’. FIG. 3 illustrates in full color typical foliage, hanging fruit and stems on plants of ‘X264’. The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘X264’ plants grown outdoors under commercial trial conditions in North Waikato, New Zealand. The growing temperature ranged from 10° C. to 30° C. during the day and −4° C. to 18° C. at night. Annual rainfall is approximately 125 cm per year. Measurements and numerical values represent an average of 10 typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Actinidia chinensis ‘X264’ -   Propagation: ‘X264’ can be successfully grafted onto rootstocks of     Actnidia deliciosa. -   Plant:     -   -   Age of the plant described.—Approximately 5 years.         -   Sex expression.—Female.         -   Ploidy.—Diploid.         -   Vigor.—Moderate.         -   Young shoot color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C. -   Stem characteristics:     -   -   Color.—Near RHS Brown 200D on upper (sunny side) surface.             Lower surface Yellow-Green 144C.         -   Stem diameter.—Average 1.5 cm.         -   Stem texture.—Smooth, non-pubescent with a moderate amount             of very minute lenticels.         -   Stem pith.—Solid.         -   Leaf scar description.—Moderately depressed. -   Foliage: -   Leaf:     -   -   Average length.—16 cm.         -   Average width.—18 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Obovate.         -   Apex.—Retuse.         -   Base.—Cordate, basal lobes not touching.         -   Attachment.—Petioled.         -   Margin.—Mildly ciliate.         -   Texture of top surface.—Very slightly puckered.             Non-pubescent.         -   Texture of under side.—Non-pubescent.         -   Color.—Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137A.             Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138C.         -   Petiole.—Length: Average length 17.5 cm. Pubescence: None.             Color: Upper Surface near RHS Yellow-Green N143D. Moderate             anthocyanin on upper side only, near Greyed-Purple 184D. -   Flower:     -   -   Flowers per inflorescence.—Normally 3.         -   Bud color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.         -   First flower.—Very early Pollinized by proprietary varieties             referred to as ‘A55’, ‘CMWW85’ and ‘CMW53’.         -   Diameter.—Average 6 cm.         -   Petal quantity.—6 to 10 per flower.         -   Petals overlapping.—Yes.         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-White 158D.         -   Filament color.—Near RHS Green-White 157D.         -   Anther color.—Near RHS Yellow-Orange 163A.         -   Attitude of styles.—Semi-erect.         -   Style color.—Near RHS White 155A.         -   Style quantity.—Average 20.         -   Hair on ovary.—dense.         -   Color of ovary.—Near RHS White 155A.         -   Number of sepals.—6 to 10.         -   Color of sepals.—Near RHS Green 144B.         -   Sepal width.—Approximately 1 cm.         -   Sepal length.—Approximately 1.3 cm.         -   Sepal texture.—Smooth. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—Average 6.6 cm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Green 144B.         -   Texture.—Smooth. -   Fruit:     -   -   Color outer pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow 5D.         -   Color inner pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow 4A.         -   Core color.—Near RHS Yellow 5C.         -   General shape.—Oblong.         -   Median cross section.—Circular.         -   Stylar end shape.—Weakly blunt protruding.         -   Shoulder shape.—Squared, truncate.         -   Calyx ring.—present.         -   Calyx ring expression.—Strong.         -   Skin color at harvest.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 152C.         -   Hair on fruit skin.—downy.         -   Hair adherence to skin.—Weak.         -   Skin adherence to flesh at maturity.—Weak.         -   Fruit core shape.—Transversely elliptic.         -   Core-woody spike.—Small.         -   Lenticels on fruit.—Lenticels absent on fruit.         -   Mature seed color.—black.         -   Dried seed.—brown.         -   Harvest time.—Very early season. -   Other characteristics: -   Storage life: Storage life is a minimum of 3 months at 2° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     pathogens and pests common to Actinidia chinensis have been     observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates low temperatures to approximately     −5° C. without negative effects, tolerates high temperatures to     approximately 35° C. without negative effects. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Actinidia chinensis plant named ‘X264’ as herein illustrated and described. 